Today's best bets, by Chris Cook

For anyone interested by yesterday's story about Martin Dwyer and the ride in Mumbai to which some punters over-reacted, here you can see the head-on video of the race, which makes it more clear still that Dwyer's act in straightening the horse was absolutely necessary for safety. To watch the race, you have to scroll to the bottom video on the list, the race won by Prize Fighter. The footage begins with just one camera but goes to a split screen, including the head-on, when the runners turn for home.

The scenes are more amazing still at Doncaster, where the going is good! Who can remember that for a jumps meeting, eh? Was it 1980, the last time?

Admittedly there are good to soft places but this is going to be a racing surface that hardly any of today's runners are likely to have encountered this season. Many will suddenly look a bit on the slow side but some will thrive on it in sharp contrast to their other runs this winter.

I think Auroras Encore (2.50) may fall into the latter category and the market seems to agree, since he's attracting interest at 8s on Betfair as I type. Though he's managed a couple of wins on soft, he's better on a sounder surface, which is why most of his successes have been in the March to May months.

Beaten just a head in last year's Scottish National, he has been dropped 10lb for just three well-beaten efforts since November. The conditions are right for him to run well, though at his age a maximum effort is not to be taken for granted.

Knight Pass is an interesting runner in the staying handicap hurdle later on the card, his second outing since joining David Pipe from Warren Greatrex but his first for 88 days. Good ground will suit him but he's entered for a couple of chases, fascinatingly, at the Festival, having never yet jumped a fence in public.

There might be better to come from him next time. At the other end of the weights, Hot Whiskey (3.55), owned by Harry Redknapp, makes his handicap debut from a fair mark after a couple of promising runs over hurdles. He also looks like one who may need this type of going and I find 12-1 tempting.

I don't suppose you watch many bumpers in Ireland but maybe have a look at the 4.45pm at Punchestown. Aidan O'Brien (remember him?) runs the favourite, Egyptian Warrior, a full brother to Kingsbarns, the Derby favourite. I should think some Flat purists are probably frothing at the mouth about such a well-bred beast being debased at this level.

Anyway, Egyptian Warrior would be a first winner for the trainer's daughter, Sarah, who rides. O'Brien Sr has another runner in the race, having not had a runner under jumps rules for nine years.

Tipping competition, day three

Well done to those of you who predicted Barizan's first hurdles win since the Grade One at Punchestown three years ago. He won at 25-1 at Taunton, sending five people to the top of our leaderboard. Sharing the lead are VolleVlug and lcprestes, who also had Admiral Blake (9-4). CluelessWhisper paired Admiral Blake with Edmundo (11-2).

For one final week, Stan James are offering a £25 ante-post bet on a race of your choosing at this year's Cheltenham Festival! After this, you're on your own!

As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not already joined in this week, you can do so today, but you will start on -6.

In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.